Google Pixel 2 wants you to give it a squeeze

If tapping a screen or shouting a keyword was just that little bit too much trouble, you’ll be chuffed to learn Google’s Pixel 2 has a new way of waking up its virtual assistant: squeezy sides. Touch-sensitive Active Edge panels can also take selfies with the updated 12MP rear and 8MP front cameras, which have learned new tricks like Portrait mode – without needing two sensors to work out all that tricky depth information. There’s a super-speedy Snapdragon 835 CPU and 4GB of RAM underneath the 5in, 1080p OLED screen that’s purpose-built for Daydream virtual reality, and it’s running Android Oreo with a tweaked Pixel launcher that makes the Assistant even easier to access. Google has ditched the headphone socket, though – it’s a USB-C adapter or Bluetooth wireless all the way for music fans now. The phone is going up for pre-order today for £629 in Just Black, Kinda Blue and Clearly White colours. And we very much like those names.

Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming